Gas holder seal heating system



July 18, 1933. Q BAKER 1,918,315

GAS HOLDER SEAL HEATING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l 6 J Li a 6 UII wn-uasszs INVENTOR July 18, 1933. c. I. BAKER GAS HOLDER SEAL HEATING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 13, 1929 INVENTOR July 18, 1933. c. BAKER G-AS HOLDER SEAL HEATING SYSTEM- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 13, 1929 INVENTOR Patented July 18, 1933 CHARLES '5.

PATENT FFEQE BAKER, J5 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY GAS I-IGLDEB SEAL HEATING SYSTEM Application filed December 13, 1929.

This invention pertains to gas holders of the type including a bell formed of telescoping sections in which water seals are employed for making the holder gas-tight, and relates more particularly to the heating of the water in the seals to prevent them from freezing during cold weather.

holders of this character are frequently located sections of the country where the atmospheric temperatures during certain periods of the year tall suilicicntly to freeze the water in the seals, and as is well known it is essential to the proper operation of the holders tha the seals be prevented from freezing at all times.

he primary object of the invention is to provide for heating the water in the seals between the hell sections by passing streams of heated water over their surraces. A more particular object is to provide for doing this by delivering the heating water to the uppermost seal of the holder, causing it to liow over the sinace thereof and then in successive steps over the surfaces of the succeeding lower seals.

Another object is to provide for automatically controlling the flow of the heating water over the seals in accordance with the aIlltiOllF: in the temperature of the wea ther.

A further object is to provide a system of apparatus for heating the water and for (arising it to circulate over the surface of the seals as well as into the pit of the holder, which simple of construction, eiiici'ent in operation, and capable of being installed at comparatively low cost.

These and other objects as well as the novel features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the following detailed description is read in con junctioinwith the accompanying drawings in which 1 is a view partly in elevation a n d partly in vertical section of a gas holder in which a heating system constructed in accordance with this invention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder illustrating the manner in which the heating water is caused to circulate to the seals when supplied thereto by a modified form of the in- Serial No. 413,830.

vention; and Fig. 3 a schematic plan view of a multiple unit heating system for use with large holders.

Having reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the reference character 1 designates a tank which forms the base of a gas holderof the type contemplated by this invention. In it there is arranged a bell consisting of a plurality of telescoping sections 2, 3', 4c and ia. Between the adjoining ends each pair of these sections there are provided seals. Each of these seals, which are commonly referred to as cup seals, comprise an outwardly projecting annular trough 5 arranged on the lower end of the uppermost of toe adjoining section and an inwardly spaced annular flange arranged on the upper end of the lowcn'most a portion 6 of the flange being adapted to project into the trough 5 when the bell is expanded, and another portion 7 to extend above the top of the bell section to which it is attached and to "form a channel with the side of the bell extending around the holder. To make the holder gas-tight the tank 1 and the trough 5 are filled with water.

In accordance with this invention, in order to prevent the water in the troughs of the cup seals from 'lreezing during. winterweather, water is drawn from tank 1 through a pipe 8 by means of a pump 9- and forced through a water heater 11, preferably of the instantaneous gas burning type, where it is heated, and conducted by a pipe 12 and a flexible conduit 13, which allows for the collapsing of the bell sections without interference to a nozzle 14 attached to the upper flange portion 7 of the seal on the lower end of hell section 2. From the nozzle 14 the heated water is delivered onto the surface of the water in the seal which is exposed to the weather.

Diametrical'ly disposed to nozzle 14; an overflow pipe 15 is arranged in flange portion 7, which may be referred to as a dam plate, at a point adjacent to the normal surface of the water in the seal, and extends to a point adjacent the surface of the water in the trough located on the lower end of section 3. By reason of this arrangement and the difference in the weights of the heated Water and the chilled water in the trough the heated water on being delivered to the seal by nozzle let divides equally and flows in opposite directions about the tank over the surface of the water in the trough to overflow pipe 15, by means of which it is conducted to the surface of the water in the trough on the lower end of section 3. On being admitted to this latter trough the heating water again divides and flows in opposite directions over the surface thereof to another overflow pipe 16 located diametrically opposite to overflow pipe 15 and by which it is carried to the surface of the water in the trough located on the lower end of section 4. The water in a like manner passes over the surface of this seal to an overflow pipe 17 which conducts it from the surface thereof into tank 1.

As will be readily appreciated, the water in passing over the surface of the seals will give up heat to the water in them and thereby raise the temperature thereof. The amount of heat transmitted to the seals will depend upon the temperature of the heated water and the amount of it flowing over the seals. By reason of the water being initially admitted to the upper seal, such seal will receive more heat from the heating water than the other seals, but this is as it should be, because the upper most seal is, due to its altitude, exposed to the most severe weather conditions, and requires the greatest amount of heat to prevent it from freezing.

In order to automatically determine the temperature of the water supplied to the uppermost seal and insure efficient operation of the system by supplying only suflicient heat to the seals to raise their temperature the necessary amount, a bypass connection 19 is made between the outlet of heater 11 and the inlet of pump 9. For regulating the amount of water returned to the heater through this by-pass, a check Valve 21 is arranged in pipe 12 beyond the by-pass con nection, and a temperature responsive valve 22 is arranged in the by-pass itself. For regulating the operation of valve 22 so as to determine the temperature of the water delivered to the seals, a thermo-responsive element 23 connected to the valve 22 is arranged in the heater outlet. Valves of this character are so wel known that no detailed description thereof is deemed necessary.

For actuating pump 9, an electric motor 24 is employed, and for controlling its operation automatically it is connected to its source of current supply 25 through a thermostatic switch 26 which may be of any suitable form. This switch is adjusted to start and stop the motor automatically in accordance with the temperature of the atmosphere, whereby to insure the application of heating water on the surface of the seals at such time as it is needed. The switch may be satisfactorily arranged either adjacent to the holder so as to be responsive to the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the holder, or it may be arranged in one of the trough seals rendering it directly responsive to the temperature of the water therein.

The heater 11 which is preferably of the instantaneous gas heater type, but which may take other forms, illustrated here as having a flow motor 27 disposed in its gas line for regulating the supply of gas in accordance with the flow of water passing through the heater in the well known manner.

lVhile the seals in holders up to a certain size may be adequately protected against freezing through the use of a single heater and circulating system of the form described above, in places where the weather becomes rather severe, and in larger holders having substantial diameters and including larger and more seals, it is desirable for economic and practical reasons to utilize a plurality of heating units and to effect the circulation of the water over the surface of the seals through a plurality of nozzles upon the upper seal and corresponding overflow pipes on the lower seals.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings there is illustrat-ed a multiple unit heating system of the type recommended for use with larger holders. In this figure a plurality of pumps 31, 32 and are shown connected to pipe 8 and in turn respectively to a plurality of heaters 34, 35, and 36, and 37. Heaters 3% and 35 and 36 are connected to pipe 12 in the same manner as heater 11, while heater 37 connected by pipe 38 to a pipe 39 which extends into the lower portion of tank 1, as shown in Fig. 1. For regulating the temperature of the water delivered by these heaters to their respective outlets, by-pass connections 19, check valves 21, and thermally responsive valves 22 of the same form described in con nection with heater 11 are arranged in their connections.

For operating pumps 31, 32 and 33, motors 10, 20 and 30, respectively, are employed. In order that the operation of the motors 10 and 20 may be controlled automatically to supply heating water to the seals in accordance with the temperature of the wea thcr to prevent the water in them from freezing, motor 10 is connected to its source of current supply 40 through thermally responsive switches 41 and 42. Switch 42, which is a double circuit switch, is adapted to normally maintain its contacts in the circuit of motor 10 until the tem ierature falls to a predetermined degree. Switch 41 is adapted to remain open above a certain temperature, and it will. be adjusted to set motor 10 in operation, preferably somewhat before freezing temperatures are encountered so as to safely avoid freezing of the seals.

Heater may be adapted to supply sufficient heat to the seals of the holder until a predetermined low weather temperature is reacl'ied. When the temperature falls to such a degree, switch 42 is adapted to react and interrupt the circuit to motor 10 and, at the same time, by means of a second of contacts arranged in the circuit of motor 20, to close the circuit to the latter motor and set it in operation. With the starting of motor 20, heated water is supplied to the seals by means of both the heaters and 'z a which have a sufficient capacity to supply heat to the seals until a furtl'ier predetermined fall of temperature in the weather takes place.

To assist the heaters 35 and 36 in supplying heat to the seals when the weather temperature falls below av degree at which they are incapable of supplying sufficient heat to prevent the bell scale from freezing, a thermally responsive switch 43 is provided in shunt circuit relation with the contacts of switch 42 arranged in the circuit of motor 10, and is adapted to close when the conditions just referred to prevail, and to reconnect motor 10 for operation whereby heater 3% is again brought into service to supply heated water to the seals. The reverse of these operations will take place as the weather temperatures rise.

Although the tanks of the holders usually contain hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and do not freeze nearly as readily as the water in the cup seals, there nevertheless is danger of them freezing where frigid weather is encountered, especially over an extended period. In accordance with this system, for insuring against the freezing of the water in the tank, heater 3'? is employed, and, referred to above, is connected in the system so as to discharge heated water into the pit by way of pipe 39, from whence it gravitates to the top of the tank and heats the water therein.

For controlling the operation of the motor 30. a thermally responsive switch 44 is employed and is preferably arranged, as illustrated in Fig. 3, in pipe 8 where it is constantly responsive to the water drawn from the tank. Consequently motor 30 and heater 3'? may, by such switch, be set in operation whenever the water in the pit approaches a freezing temperature, and caused to continue to operate until the pit water has been raised to a desired temperature.

In order that the heater 37 may be used as an auxiliary heater for either assisting the other heaters to supply heated water to the cup seals, or in cases of emergency for supplyi heating water thereto in their place, a valve is arranged in pipe 39, and a connection through a valve 46 is made between pipes 38 and 12. Hence by closing the valve d5 and opening the valve .26 the water passed through heater 37 will be transmitted to pipe 12. On the other hand, through these provisions, by opening both valves 46 and 4 l5 theother heaters may be employed for heating the water in the pit seal.

For reducing the distance over which the heater water must travel in each seal, and for speeding up its flow in the larger seals, a plurality of nozzles 47, as illustrated in Fig. 2, may be arranged about the periphery of the upper seal and connected by flexible conduits 48 to the pipe 12 whereby the heating water is admitted at a plurality of points about the periphery of the uppermost hese nozzles are equally spaced from one another, and at points midway between them an equal number of overflow pipes d9 are provided for conducting the water to the next lower seal which in turn is provided with a similar number of overflow pipes. By this arrangement it will be appreciated that a greater quantity of water may be passed over the seals and at a considerably greater speed than where a single overflow pipe is employed for each seal. Consequen ly, greater amounts of heat may be in this way supplied to the seals.

Among the outstanding advantages of the invention is its application to isolated holders because of its low cost of construction and installation and the efficiency with which it operates.

An advantage incident to the use of a multiple unit heating system such as described above is that the load upon the heaters may be so shifted as to reduce their maintenance cost inasmuch as they are not each required to operate continuously.

Another advantage of the invention is that substantially no operating attention is required inasmuch as the system is entirely automatic in operation. A. still further advantage is the simplicity with which a system of this character may be applied to holders already in use as well as to holders under construction.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes. I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwisethan as specificially illustrated and described.

I claim:

In a gas holder, the combination of a bell consisting of a series of telescoping sections having water seals between adjoining sections, means for supplying heating water at uniformly spaced points about the holder to the surface of the seal on the lower end of wise disposed in line with the surface of the sealing water in the trough into which they empty, whereby the heating Water supplied to the surface of an upper seal is caused to flow successively over the surfaces of the succeeding lower seals.

CHARLES I. BAKER. 

